Papa John's International marked the opening of its 3,000th store by giving away fresh tomatoes and pizza slices in New York.-
-CEO Nigel Travis and Chairman John Schnatter also took part in a ceremonial opening of Nasdaq Stock Market trading as part of the festivities, and the company donated $20,000 and fresh produce to City Harvest, an organization that feeds the hungry in New York. Copyright 2005 The Courier Journal, No Courier Journal

Papa John's Pizza founder John Schnatter told Anchorage residents at a special meeting that he plans to build a walking trail from the center of the city to E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park, regardless of whether the city sells him the five-acre Bellewood property. Photo by Chris Otts April 2007.
*date of photo is unknown Chris Otts/The Courier Journal

Papa John's Founder, Chairman and CEO John Schnatter gets a kick out of seeing his image on the NASDAQ tower in New York's Times Square, Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, while celebrating the opening of the brand's 4,000th global restaurant. Diane Bondareff/AP Image

Papa John's founder John Schnatter salutes another board member before the start of the Wednesday meeting to decide Tom Jurich's fate at the University of Louisville. - Oct. 18, 2017 Matt Stone/The Courier Journal

Papa John's Pizza founder John Schnatter talks with other board members after the University of Louisville Wednesday. Schnatter did not speak during Wednesday's meeting. Previously he brought up concerns with the University of Louisivlle athletic department. April, 26, 2017. Matt Stone/CJ

John Schnatter speaks during a press conference at the Louisville Zoo on Thursday morning. Thanks to a $1 million gift from the John H. Schnatter Family Foundation, the zoo's Leadership Campaign exceeded it's goal of $10.4 million for a final raised amount of $11.44 million. -Feb.9, 2017 Michael Clevenger/The Courier Journal

John Schnatter looks over renderings of a new exhibit on Thursday morning at the Louisville Zoo with Zoo Director John Walczak. Thanks to a $1 million gift from the John H. Schnatter Family Foundation, the zoo's Leadership Campaign exceeded it's goal of $10.4 million for a final raised amount of $11.44 million. -Feb. 9, 2017 Michael Clevenger/The Courier Journal

John Schnatter speaks during a press conference at the Louisville Zoo on Thursday morning. Thanks to a $1 million gift from the John H. Schnatter Family Foundation, the zoo's Leadership Campaign exceeded it's goal of $10.4 million for a final raised amount of $11.44 million. -Feb. 9, 2017 Michael Clevenger/The Courier Journal

MUNCIE, Ind. — John Schnatter's presence is disappearing from college campuses in Lexington, Louisville and West Lafayette but not from Muncie.

Shortly before Purdue University distanced itself from Schnatter on Friday morning, Ball State University defended him after several weeks of silence.

The free-enterprise advocate and founder of the Papa John's pizza chain, under fire for saying the N-word, has or had buildings named after him at Purdue, University of Louisville, University of Kentucky and his alma mater, Ball State.

Ball State's board of trustees announced the university will continue to support BSU's John H. Schnatter Institute for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise — unlike the other three schools that are dropping him.

In 2016, the Charles Koch Foundation and Schantter donated $3,250,000 to Ball State for the creation of the Schnatter institute.

Purdue had named the John H. Schnatter Center for Economic Research after his foundation's $8-million donation, which Purdue now plans to return.

Schnatter's name will fade from Purdue, whose trustees concluded it was necessary to rename the school's facility "to avoid distraction from the center’s work, counterproductive division on the campus, and any inference of any deviation from the university’s often stated stance on tolerance and racial relations.”

Rick Hall, chairman of the board of trustees at Ball State, issued the following statement on Friday:

Ball State alumnus, John Schnatter, has been the subject of media reports regarding his comments in a private meeting in May. As a result, the Board of Trustees has been asked whether his name will be removed from the John H. Schnatter Institute for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise.

Higher education plays a unique role in the support of free speech and the exchange of ideas that lead to better understanding. In that pursuit, it does not mandate perfection. The language used by John was insensitive and painful to others, making a review of context appropriate.

To such end, we have the following understanding of John’s comments. They were made in a private meeting with consultants, from which he was seeking advice as to how to communicate in a way that would be less offensive to others. In the course of the conversation, he recited his understanding of another’s use of the “N word”. He did so not in a derogatory manner seeking to demean any individuals or groups; rather it was used as an example of improper conduct.

John has acknowledged, notwithstanding his intentions, that his use of the word was inappropriate. His response was to promptly issue an apology and unequivocally denounce racism. He has reaffirmed those views to us personally, and such sentiment is consistent with Ball State’s values.

In our experience with John, he has never expressed racist views. He has demonstrated himself to be an individual who is very appreciative of his fortunate situation and cares deeply about creating an environment in which all enterprising individuals have the opportunity to succeed. With such perspective, John has generously shared his blessings through his contributions to universities and other philanthropic activities.

Based on our current understanding of what transpired, John’s response to the current situation, and our experience with him, the Board will continue our support of the John H. Schnatter Institute for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise.

While we recognize that some will disagree with our position on this particular matter, we hope all will share in the Board’s unwavering commitment to a diverse and welcoming campus. Through our continued work together, Ball State can advance a sense of community that is so essential to the creation of a stronger Indiana and a healthier society.

Hall's statement did not specifically address demands from several alumni that Ball State not only remove his name from the institute but also take away the honorary doctorate Ball State awarded him in 2015 and stop using Schnatter's name, face and story in Ball State marketing materials.

BSU spokesperson Kathy Wolf told The Star Press that Hall's statement in support of the institute also applies to the honorary degree and to any marketing materials.

Ball State's board of trustees is made up of six men and three women, all of whom are white.

Did the trustees discuss the controversy just among themselves or with others, such as members of the Black Alumni Constituent Society; other diverse groups or people; leaders of Faculty Council and University Senate; the Student Government Association; multicultural student organizations; and the Ball State Alumni Association? The Star Pres asked Wolf. How much or how little consensus was there on campus?

"As you know, the trustees are actively involved in the community and each trustee carefully considered the individual, informal conversations that were had with a wide variety of constituents," Wolf said.

Previously, Schnatter's name was stripped from The John H. Schnatter Center for Free Enterprise at the University of Louisville, and from the John H. Schnatter Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise at the University of Kentucky.

Also in the wake of the controversy, Schnatter resigned as a trustee at the University of Louisville, where Papa John’s lost naming rights to the football stadium. Papa John’s said it would remove his image from the company’s marketing.